Grêmio's representatives start the Copa on the bench | OneFootball

The first round of the 2026 World Cup group stage went by without Tricolor fans being able to see their players in action.

The two Grêmio players called up for the tournament watched their respective national teams’ opening matches from the bench and are still hoping to get their first opportunity in the competition, as highlighted by ge.

Weverton (Brazil National Team)

The Grêmio goalkeeper was involved in Brazil’s opening match, which ended in a bitter 1-1 draw against Morocco. As had already been widely expected based on head coach Carlo Ancelotti’s plans, Weverton remained an option among the substitutes, while Alisson started in goal for Brazil.

Next match: Brazil faces Haiti in the second round this Friday at 9:30 p.m. The expectation behind the scenes is that Weverton will remain on the bench.

Fabián Balbuena (Paraguay National Team)

The experienced center back from the Immortal also did not log any minutes in the opening round. In the match in which Paraguay ended up being thrashed 4-1 by the United States in Los Angeles, Balbuena watched everything from the bench. Paraguay’s coaching staff preferred to set up the starting defense with Cáceres, Gustavo Gómez (Palmeiras), Alderete, and Júnior Alonso (Atlético-MG).

Next match: Paraguay’s national team will look to bounce back in the World Cup against Turkey, in a match scheduled for early Saturday morning at 1 a.m. (Brasília time).

Behind the scenes: FIFA daily allowances boost the club’s coffers

Even though they are not wearing out their boots on North American pitches, the duo’s call-up is excellent financial news for the board. Grêmio is entitled to receive daily compensation paid by FIFA for releasing Weverton and Balbuena to the tournament. This guaranteed income for the Tricolor club’s coffers will increase progressively if Brazil and Paraguay advance to the knockout stage.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

📸 Gaston Brito Miserocchi - 2024 Getty Images